This Friday, April 27th at 9am, a Bill (HR 4094) to overturn the National Park Service’s new rules for beach access at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area is scheduled for a hearing before the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands. You can watch it as it happens online Natural Resources Committee Live Hearing!
Warren Judge, Chairman, Dare County Board of Commissioners, and John Couch, President of Outer Banks Preservation Association will be speaking as representatives of our island for beach access.
The purpose of the Bill is to overturn the recently instated National Park Service rules, which include a $120 annual fee or a $50 weekly fee to drive on the seashore’s beaches. It would also negate a 2008 consent decree that settled a federal lawsuit against the park service for failing to implement a management plan ordered by a presidential decree in the 1970’s.
Instead, the Bill would re-instate the Park Services Interim Management Strategy governing access and species protection.
This Spring, we are experiencing the highest amount of beach closure to date due to areas identified for nesting or potential nesting sites. Areas have been closed for shorebirds that are not on the endangered list. The areas where nesting behaviors are observed are closed to both vehicles and pedestrians. Our Inlet beaches are closed permanently. We advocate responsible access and usage but not closure.
We urge you to contact as many of the Committee Members as possible if you share the concern of limitations to public access at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Please use the information provided to call the Subcommittee members. You do not have to live in their state to contact them. Ask that they fully support HR 4094!
Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Legislative Hearing on H.R. 4094 and Oversight Hearing on “Access Denied: Turning Away Visitors to National Parks”
Friday, April 27, 2012 9:00 AM
SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS AND PUBLIC LANDS
1324 Longworth House Office Building
Friday, April 27, 2012
9:00 a.m.
LEGISLATIVE HEARING ON:
- H. R. 4094 (W. Jones), To authorize pedestrian and motorized vehicular access in Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area, and for other purposes. “Preserving Access to Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area Act”
AND OVERSIGHT HEARING ON:
- “Access Denied: Turning Away Visitors to National Parks”
WITNESSES AND TESTIMONY:
Panel I
Witnesses are by invitation only. A witness list will be made available once it is confirmed.
BACKGROUND:
The National Park Service is pushing a new management plan at Biscayne National Park that will eliminate access to over 10,000 acres of sport fishing waters and dissuade visitation to other areas of the park. Fishing is an important economic activity that draws tourists and provides locals with an excellent outdoor recreational opportunity. Access to Cape Hatteras National Recreational Area has been severely limited by Park Service management and environmental lawsuits under the guise of species protection. Not only have vehicles been restricted from areas traditionally available, but in some areas pedestrian access was eliminated as well. Due to severe enforcement under the current management plan, local business have seen 50% declines and 19 families were recently put at risk when the Park Service denied access to a stretch of beach needed to retreat from the rising tides.
HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS AND PUBLIC LANDS
CHAIR Rob Bishop Utah 202-225-0453
Don Young Alaska 202-225-5765
John Duncan Tennessee 202-225-5435
Doug Lamborn Colorado 202-225-4422
Paul Brown Georgia 202-225-4101
Mike Coffman Colorado 202-225-7882
Tom McClintock California 202-225-2511
David Rivera Florida 202-225-2778
Scott Tipton Colorado 202-225-4761
Raul Labrador Idaho 202-225-6611
Kristi Noem South Dakota 202-225-2801
Mark Amodei Nevada 202-225-6155
Doc Hastings Washington 202-225-5816
Raul Grijalva Arizona 202-225-2435
Dale KildeeMichigan 202-225-6393
Peter DeFazio Oregon 202-225-6416
Rush Holt New Jersey 202-225-5801
Martin Heinrich New Mexico 202-225-6316
Betty Sutton Ohio 202-225-3401
Niki Tsongas Massachusetts 202-225-3411
John Garamendi California 202-225-1880
Edward Markey Massachusetts 202-225-2836
We ask that everyone who loves Cape Hatteras and wants to preserve our visitors experience and our way of life to help by calling these subcommittee members!
This Sea Striker Adjustable Sand Spike is a great product that every surf fisherman should have while fishing Cape Hatteras . The 36” and 48”adjustable rod holder allows the fisherman to adjust the bottom rod rest to fit various rod handle lengths. Constructed with angled aluminum and “glow in the dark” rod rest assemblies.
